Definition

Noun: A photograph of a person's face, taken specifically for official identification records, most commonly by police or other law enforcement agencies following an arrest.

Usage

A "mug shot" is a formal photographic record. It is used to document a person's appearance at the time of arrest for identification and official records. The term is strongly associated with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. - The police took his mug shot and fingerprints after the arrest. - The newspaper published the suspect's mug shot from a previous arrest.

Advanced Usage

• "to have one's mug shot taken": To be photographed for police records.
  • After being booked, every suspect must have their mug shot taken.

Variants and Related Words

• Booking photo: A more formal synonym for "mug shot," referring to the photograph taken during the police booking process.
• Police photograph: A descriptive term for a mug shot.

Synonyms

• Police photo
• Booking photograph

Related Phrases

• Mug book: A collection of mug shots used by victims or witnesses to identify a suspect from a lineup of photographs.
  • The witness looked through the mug book but couldn't identify the robber.

Noun

1. a photograph of someone's face (especially one made for police records)